Synthetic, Structural, Magnetic, and Electrochemical Studies of Mono‐ and Dinuclear Copper Bulky Aryl Phosphate Complexes

Abstract

Stericallyencumbered 2,6‐di‐tert‐butyl phenyl phosphate (dtbppH2) has been employed to synthesize mononuclear and dinuclear complexes, [Cu(bpy) (dtbppH)2(dtbppH2)]·2MeOH (1) and [Cu(phen)(dtbppH)(NO3)]2·2MeOH (2), respectively. Both compounds have been characterized using analytical and spectroscopic methods, including EPR spectral and magnetic measurements. Complexes 1 and 2 revealed weak antiferromagnetic interactions due to intermolecular interactions in the lattice and intradimeric exchange interactions mediated by the O─P─O phosphate bridges, respectively. Complex 1 exhibited an EPR spectrum with hyperfine splitting, while complex 2 exhibited a triplet spectrum. The electrocatalytic activity of 1 and 2 adsorbed on glassy carbon electrodes has been explored for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in PBS.